Internationally known for his research on the impact of climate and habitat change on butterflies and bumble bees, Kerr is among 564 scientists, engineers, and innovators from around the world and one of only five researchers from Canadian universities to be elected to the 2021 class of Fellows. He is being honoured for “distinguished contributions to the field of conservation biology, particularly in understanding species endemism, abundance, and distribution in the context of climate and land use change.”
“Jeremy Kerr’s election to the AAAS recognizes the highly engaging and critical nature of his research on biodiversity conservation,” said Sylvain Charbonneau, vice-president, research and innovation. “His work has not only broken new ground scientifically, it has also had tremendous public outreach around the world. The University of Ottawa congratulates Professor Kerr on this most distinctive honour.”
Holder of the University Research Chair in Macroecology and Conservation Biology, Kerr studies the causes of biodiversity decline. His research has led to important discoveries regarding endangered species conservation and the effects of climate change on biodiversity. A recent study on the risk of extinction of bumble bee colonies due to the increasing frequency of hotter temperatures is one of many to have garnered international attention. The researcher is also known for engaging citizens in scientific research and for advocating for scientific integrity and evidence-based decision-making. His work has helped inform science policy.
Jeremy Kerr is the fifth University of Ottawa professor to have been honoured by the AAAS, after the late Adolfo de Bold (Faculty of Medicine), Tom Baker (Faculty of Science), Mona Nemer (Faculty of Medicine) and Robert Boyd (Faculty of Science).
Learn more about the 2021 class of AAAS Fellows